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November 15, 2017

Press Release

ACADEMY SPORTS + OUTDOORS NAMED THE NEW TITLE SPONSOR OF THE TEXAS BOWL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017

HOUSTON – Lone Star Sports and Entertainment and ESPN Events today announced Academy Sports + Outdoors as the new title sponsor of the Texas Bowl, a collegiate postseason showdown between teams from the Big 12 and the Southeastern conferences. Academy Sports + Outdoors will serve as the title sponsor through the 2019 bowl game. Entering its 12th year, the Texas Bowl is owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, and managed locally by Lone Star Sports & Entertainment, an event management company founded in 2003 that is closely affiliated with the NFL’s Houston Texans.

The 2017 Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl will be played on Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 8 p.m. CT, at NRG Stadium in Houston and will be televised on ESPN. The Bowl is one of 14 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events and it is its most attended in recent years.

“We are excited to welcome Academy Sports + Outdoors as the new title sponsor for the Texas Bowl,” said Clint Overby, Vice President of ESPN Events. “Their ties and commitment to the community make them uniquely suited to be a significant part of the game. We are proud of the growth of the Bowl over the years and look forward to this new relationship.”

The Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl has ranked fourth in bowl game attendance since 2014, averaging over 70,000 attendees and trailing only the Rose, Cotton and Peach Bowls in that time. The bowl boasts over 20,000 local season ticket holders and has already sold over 50,000 tickets to date for this year’s game prior to team announcements on Sunday, Dec. 3.

“Academy Sports + Outdoors has been a Texas tradition for nearly 80 years, and becoming the title sponsor of the Texas Bowl was a natural fit,” said J.K. Symancyk, President & CEO of Academy Sports + Outdoors. “As Houston’s hometown sporting goods retailer, we’re proud to partner on a major event that brings football fans together and showcases our great city.”

The Bowl has generated an average of $50 million annually for the Houston economy. Through the Bowl’s relationship with DePelchin Children’s Center, its official charitable beneficiary, more than $1.2 million in financial support has been donated to the city’s oldest children’s charity.

“We are proud and excited to welcome Academy Sports + Outdoors as the title partner of the Texas Bowl,” said Jamey Rootes, President of the Houston Texans and Lone Star Sports and Entertainment. “Our friends at Academy share our passion to do great things for Houston and our entire community will benefit greatly from this association. The Texas Bowl has become the fourth best attended bowl game in America because of the large and loyal football fan base across the region that passionately follow the Big 12 and the SEC. Having our hometown sporting goods retailer as our teammate will help the Texas Bowl achieve an even higher level of success and deliver even greater impact year round for the Houston area.”

In 2014, an agreement with the SEC gave the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl the ability to showcase two of the country’s premier conferences against one another through 2019. After the selection process for the College Football Playoff National Championship, Sugar Bowl, Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Citrus Bowl, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl is one of six games in a pool that the Conference, in consultation with the institutions and the bowls, makes assignments from all eligible SEC teams. The extension with the Big 12 that occurred during the agreement in 2014 with the SEC resulted in a higher selection order for the game. Once the CFP has filled its bowl slots, Big 12 bowl partners make selections from the remaining bowl eligible teams.

In 2016, the Kansas State Wildcats were victorious over the Texas A&M Aggies in a 33-28 win in front of a crowd of 68,412. The 2016 game was among the top-five most-attended bowls in the country for the third consecutive year and the fourth most attended edition of the bowl in its 11-year history.

The Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl is owned and operated by ESPN Events and managed locally by Lone Star Sports & Entertainment. The Bowl will showcase teams from the Big 12 and the SEC, two of the country’s premier conferences, for the next three years. The Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl has been a tremendous success both on and off the field over the years. The game has ranked fourth in attendance since 2014 behind only the Rose, Cotton and Peach Bowls in that time. In terms of its community impact, the bowl has generated an average of $50 million annually for the Houston economy and through its relationship with DePelchin Children’s Center, its official charitable beneficiary, more than $1.2 million in financial support has been donated to the city’s oldest children’s charity.

About Academy Sports + Outdoors

At Academy Sports + Outdoors, we make it easier for everyone to enjoy more sports and outdoor activities. At each of our 240+ locations, we carry a wide range of hunting, fishing and camping equipment, patio sets and barbeque grills, along with sports and recreation products, at everyday low prices. For all. For less. For more information about Academy Sports + Outdoors visit academy.com.

ESPN EventsESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of 31 collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend college football games; FCS opening-weekend game; 14 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 300-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Albuquerque, Birmingham, Boca Raton, Boise, Dallas-Fort Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Montgomery and St. Petersburg, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.

Lone Star Sports & Entertainment is an event management company founded in 2003 that is closely affiliated with the NFL’s Houston Texans. Since its founding, LSSE has established itself as the leading sports event promoter in Houston. In addition to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl and the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff, LSSE has emerged as a premier promoter for international soccer matches, including the 2017 Manchester Derby, Copa America Centenario, the 2010 MLS All-Star Game featuring Manchester United, the 2006 FC Barcelona U.S. tour, 2003 and 2008 matches between the United States and Mexico, and the 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cups. LSSE has also reinvigorated the Battle of the Piney Woods presented by H-E-B rivalry between Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State and has promoted major concerts featuring country superstars including George Strait and Kenny Chesney.